Like many sporting endeavors, the BIIF swimming and diving championships could be decided based on matchups.
Enter a competition against Waiakea’s Korrie Tengan or Hawaii Prep’s Kaden Parker, and a swimmer could be in for a race for second.
On balance, however, the parity that was one of the hallmarks of last season appears to have spread.
“I think it’s going to be interesting cause I think there is more this year, and I think that makes it more fun,” Hilo coach Jon Hayashida said.
The Vikings’ girls broke through last season at BIIFs, winning a crown that was more than 20 years in the making and stopping Hawaii Prep’s title streak at five.
Ka Makani’s boys streak stands at five heading into this year’s championships at Kamehameha – the prelims are Friday with the finals set for Saturday – and the consensus among a few of the league’s coaches is that this HPA dynasty will be hard to stop.
“I’ve heard someone say that (the) boys (team race) is pretty much HPA, while the girls is open,” Waiakea coach Bill Sakovich said.
Parker and Tengan, both juniors, enter as the most decorated swimmers.
Parker is 4 for 4 in producing freestyle sprint golds in his career, though Hawaii Prep coach Mark Noetzel said Parker also is versatile enough to compete in the 200 free and 100 butterfly. At BIIFs, swimmers are allowed to enter a maximum of four events, and at least two must be relays.
With Kyle Weyrick, Kaimana Stewart and Tedy Neliba coming along, Noetzel said his boys team has a “strong support group.”
“But it’s going to be interesting in boys and girls, Kamehameha has a good swimmer in Justin Chow, he’s really tough, Hilo has (Kai Hayashida) and Bodhi (Whitmore),” he said. “Korrie Tengan, it’s whatever she wants to win.”
The Waiakea junior won gold in the 200-yard individual medley and backstroke in 2019, and she’s blossomed this season, setting league records in the IM and butterfly.
Sakovich has coached many girls swimmers at Waiakea, but “Korrie stands out because she’s so versatile,” he said.
There are a bevy of swimmers looking to break through to earn their first individual gold, including Christian Liberty’s Cameron Wells, a distance freestyler who owns four silvers, HPA sprinter Ryanne Doherty, Hilo’s Raven Domingo and Keaau’s Piper Vough.
“If she picks the right events, she can be a champion, that’s how it works,” Jon Hayashida said of a rare Cougars contender.
Waiakea’s Nainoa Loo chases his second gold after winning two silvers last season, and baseball players Kalai Rosario and Haloa Lee are among those adding depth for the Warriors.
“I wasn’t so sure I wanted to coach those big guys,” Sakovich said, “but they’ve been a welcome addition.”
Kealakehe lost three BIIF champions from last season but does return Duke Becker, the defending champ in the breaststroke.
Hayashida said the Waveriders’ depth makes them one to watch.
The diving competition precedes swimming each of the next two days, and Hilo’s Sydney Patterson and HPA’s Jon Kuyper looked poised to repeat coming off strong regular seasons.
